Dried Gentian Root

Dried Gentian Root

1.6 oz bag - Eastern Europe

Gentian root, also referred to as Yellow Gentian, Bitterwort and Devil's Taint, is a European native herb once used in beer brewing like hops.

Gentian is a featured ingredient in traditional herbal bitters, most notably the Angostura Bitters produced in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Since the formula is only known to a few people still living, you'll have to experiment with our dried gentian root to make your own herbal bitters and tea blends

What is gentian root?

Gentian root is the common name for the root of the plant Gentiana lutea L. 

Gentian root has a long history of use as a herbal bittering agent and is an ingredient of many proprietary medicines. The parts used include the dried, underground parts of the plant. 

The HMPC (The Committee on Herbal Medicine Products) conclusions on the use of these gentian root medicines for temporary loss of appetite and for mild stomach and gut complaints are based on their ‘traditional use’. This means that, although there is insufficient evidence from clinical trials, the effectiveness of these herbal medicines is plausible and there is evidence that they have been used safely in this way for at least 30 years (including at least 15 years within the EU).

The HMPC conclusions only cover gentian root preparations that are obtained by drying and comminuting (reducing into tiny pieces) the root or by putting the plant material in a solvent (ethanol) to dissolve compounds and form a liquid extract. The solvent may then be evaporated to obtain a dry extract.

Herbal medicines containing these gentian root preparations are usually available as herbal tea to be drunk and in solid or liquid forms to be taken by mouth. Gentian root preparations may also be found in combination with other herbal substances in some herbal medicines.